With the release of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), Rihanna developed a public image as a sex symbol and incorporated more elements of dance-pop into her music. It became a major breakthrough in her career and earned Rihanna her first Grammy Award at the 2008 ceremony. Recorded after her assault by her then-boyfriend, singer Chris Brown, her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009), is distinguished for its dark themes and lyrical content. Her pop-influenced fifth studio album, Loud (2010), proved successful producing three Billboard Hot 100 number one singles, "Only Girl (In the World)", "What's My Name", and "S&M". She followed this success with the follow-up albums, Talk That Talk (2011), and the Grammy Award winner Unapologetic (2012). Her eighth studio album, Anti (2016), became her second Billboard 200 number one album and was one of the most streamed albums of the year.[6]

She was appointed as an Ambassador on behalf of the government of Barbados in 2018, with her duties involving the promotion of education, tourism and investment.[18]

Early life

Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on 20 February 1988,[19] in Saint Michael, Barbados. Her mother, Monica (née Braithwaite), is a retired accountant of Afro-Guyanese background, and her father, Ronald Fenty, is a warehouse supervisor of Afro-Barbadian and Irish descent.[20][21] Rihanna has two brothers, Rorrey and Rajad Fenty, and two half-sisters and a half-brother from her father's side, each born to different mothers from his previous relationships.[22][23] She grew up in a three-bedroom bungalow in Bridgetown and sold clothes with her father in a stall on the street.

Rihanna's childhood was deeply affected by her father's addiction to crack cocaine and alcohol, which contributed to her parents' strained marriage. As a child, she went through a lot of CT scans for the excruciating headaches she suffered: "[The doctors] even thought it was a tumor, because it was that intense."[22] By the time she was fourteen, Rihanna's parents had divorced and her health began to improve.[21][24]

Rihanna grew up listening to reggae music.[22][25] She attended Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School and Combermere High School, where she studied alongside future England cricketer Chris Jordan and future West Indies cricketer Carlos Brathwaite.[26][22] Rihanna was an army cadet in a sub-military programme; the singer-songwriter Shontelle was her drill sergeant.[27] Although she initially wanted to graduate from high school, she chose to pursue a musical career instead.[28]

Career

2003-2005: Beginnings and debut

In 2003, Rihanna formed a musical trio with two of her classmates.[22] She was discovered in her home country of Barbados by American record producer Evan Rogers. Without a name or any material, the girl group managed to land an audition with Rogers who commented, "The minute Rihanna walked into the room, it was like the other two girls didn't exist".[22] Rihanna went to Rogers' hotel room, where she performed renditions of Destiny's Child's "Emotion" and Mariah Carey's "Hero".[29] Impressed, Rogers scheduled a second meeting with her mother present, and then invited her to his hometown in the United States to record some demo tapes which could be sent to record labels.[29] She recorded the demo over the next year intermittently, due to only being able to record during school holidays. "Pon de Replay" and "The Last Time" were two tracks recorded for the demo tape, which were eventually included on her debut album Music of the Sun.[30][31] That same year, Rihanna was signed to Rogers' and Carl Sturken's production company, Syndicated Rhythm Productions.[29]

Rihanna's demo was shipped out to Def Jam Recordings, where Jay Brown, an A&R executive at the record label, was one of the first to hear the demo. Brown played the demo tape for rapperJay-Z, who had recently been appointed as president and Chief executive officer (CEO) of Def Jam.[32] When Jay-Z first heard the track "Pon de Replay", he felt the song was too big for her.[33] Despite being skeptical, he invited Rihanna to audition for the label. In early 2005, Rihanna auditioned for Def Jam in New York City, where Jay-Z introduced her to music mogul Antonio "L.A." Reid.[29][34] At the audition, she sang Whitney Houston's cover of "For the Love of You" (1987), as well as the demo tracks "Pon de Replay" and "The Last Time".[29] Jay-Z was absolutely certain about signing her after she performed her future hit single "Pon de Replay".[33] His boss L.A. Reid was also impressed with her audition, telling Jay-Z not to let Rihanna leave the building until the contract was signed.[35] Reid left it to Jay-Z and his team to close the deal which resulted in a six-album record deal with Def Jam. She waited in Jay-Z's office until three in the morning to get lawyers to draft up a contract because he wanted to prevent her from signing with another label.[33]
Rihanna cancelled other meetings with record labels and relocated from Barbados to the United States to live with Rogers and his wife.[36]

After signing with Def Jam, Jay-Z and his team did the A&R for Rihanna's debut album and spent the next three months recording and completing her debut album.[35] She worked with different producers to complete her debut studio album, primarily Rogers and his production partner Carl Sturken.[37] With several songs to pick as a lead single, "Pon de Replay" was chosen because it seemed like the best song suited for a summer release.[38] In May 2005, her debut single, "Pon de Replay", was released under her mononym "Rihanna". It charted successfully worldwide, peaking in the top five in fifteen countries, including at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart.[39] The song became a big club hit in the United States, peaking at number-one on the BillboardDance Club Songs.[40]

Music of the Sun was released in August 2005. It debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 and received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of over 500,000 units.[41] The album sold over two million copies worldwide. A second single, "If It's Lovin' that You Want", was not as successful as its predecessor, but reached the top ten in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.[42]
Aside from her work in music, Rihanna made her acting debut in a cameo role in the straight-to-DVD film Bring It On: All or Nothing, released in August 2006.[43]

2006-2008: Breakthrough and new image

A month after the release of her debut album, Rihanna began working on her second studio album.[44]A Girl like Me was released in April 2006.[45]Rolling Stone felt that "the burning rock guitar" and haunted strings of some of the album's tracks made "A Girl like Me [...] likable."[46] The album was a commercial success, charting in the top ten in thirteen countries. The album reached number one in Canada and number five in the United Kingdom and the United States, where it sold 115,000 copies in its first week.[41][47] The album became Rihanna's first to be certified Platinum by the RIAA, after selling over 1,000,000 units.[48] Its lead single, "SOS", was an international success, charting in the top five in eleven countries. The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and in Australia, her first to reach this chart position.[49] "Unfaithful", the album's second single, reached the top ten in eighteen countries, including number one in Canada and Switzerland.[50] Two more singles were released from the album: "We Ride" and "Break It Off".[51][52]

In early 2007, Rihanna appeared on the single "Roll It" with Jamaican band J-Status and fellow Barbadian singer-songwriter Shontelle. The song appeared on J-Status' debut album The Beginning, released in several European countries only. Around that time, Rihanna had already begun work on her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad.[53] With the help of producers Timbaland, Tricky Stewart and Sean Garrett she embraced a new musical direction through uptempo dance tracks.[54][55] Released in May 2007, the album charted at number two in Australia and the US and topped the charts in multiple countries, including Brazil, Canada, Ireland and the UK.[56] The album received the most positive critical reviews of her first three albums.[57]

On 9 June 2008, Rihanna released Good Girl Gone Bad Live, her first livelong-form video. The DVD and Blu-ray release featured Rihanna's concert at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom, held on 6 December 2007 as part of the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour. Most of the concert's set list originates from Good Girl Gone Bad; however, Rihanna also performed songs from her previous albums Music of the Sun and A Girl like Me. The release also contained a special documentary that presented Rihanna discussing her experiences during the tour. By late 2008, Rihanna still remained on the charts with the release of the fifth single from Good Girl Gone Bad, "Rehab", and was named "Diva of the Year" by Entertainment Weekly for her "newfound staying power".[64]Good Girl Gone Bad has sold over 2.8 million units in the United States alone, receiving a two-times-Platinum certification from the RIAA. It is Rihanna's best-selling album in the country to date.[41][65] The album has sold nine million units worldwide.[66][67]

2009-2011: Collaborations and annual releases

On 8 February 2009, Rihanna's scheduled performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards was cancelled.[75]
Reports surfaced that then-boyfriend, singer Chris Brown, had physically assaulted her. He was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats.[76] On 5 March 2009, Brown was charged with assault and for making criminal threats.[77] A leaked photograph from the police department obtained by TMZ.com revealed that Rihanna had sustained visible injuries.[78]
A few months after the incident, Rihanna was featured on the single "Run This Town" by Jay-Z, which also featured Kanye West and was released as the second single from Jay-Z's eleventh studio album The Blueprint 3.[79]

In early 2009, Rihanna began working on her fourth studio album, Rated R.[80]Rated R was released in November 2009. The album had Rolling Stone magazine stating that Rihanna "transformed her sound and made one of the best pop records of the year".[81][82]Rated R featured a darker and more foreboding tone than Rihanna's previous albums.[83]Rated R debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 181,000 copies in the United States, giving Rihanna her highest first-week sales in the US at that time.[84][85][86]
The album was supported by six singles, including "Rude Boy", which was the biggest worldwide success from the album, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks and reaching top ten positions in twenty-two other countries.[87][88]

Loud, Rihanna's fifth studio album, was released in November 2010.[98]
Its lead single, "Only Girl (In the World)", reached number one in fifteen countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States.[99][100][101] The album's second single, "What's My Name?", featuring rapper Drake, also reached number one in the US and the UK.[102]
"Raining Men" was sent to US urban radio on 7 December 2010, as the album's third single in the United States. The song featured rap vocals by Nicki Minaj. The fourth single, "S&M", reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 following the release of its official remix featuring Britney Spears, becoming Rihanna's tenth number one single on the chart. Rihanna set a record as the solo artist with the fastest accumulation of ten chart toppers in the Hot 100's history.[103] At the 53rd Grammy Awards, "Only Girl (In the World)" won the award for Best Dance Recording.[104] "Man Down" and "California King Bed" were released as singles in May 2011 with moderate success.[105][106] "Cheers (Drink to That)", which interpolates Avril Lavigne's 2002 single "I'm with You", was released as the seventh and final single from the album, reaching the top twenty in the UK and the top ten in the US.[107] To promote the album, Rihanna embarked on her Loud Tour in June 2011, which sold out ten nights at The O2 Arena in London, the most sold-out shows for a female artist in the venue's history.[108][109]Loud Tour Live at the O2, Rihanna's second live long-form video was filmed during the last three of these shows in London and was released on 13 December 2012. The tour was the seventh highest grossing tour worldwide of 2011.[110]

Rihanna's sixth album, Talk That Talk, was released in November 2011.[111] The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with sales of 198,000 copies[112] and number one in the UK, selling 163,000 copies. The album's lead single, "We Found Love", topped charts in twenty-seven countries, peaked in the top ten in thirty countries and broke many chart records worldwide.[113] The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten non-consecutive weeks, becoming Rihanna's longest-running number-one single on the chart and the longest-running number-one single of 2011 in the US.[114][115] The song was later named the 24th biggest hit of all time on the Billboard Hot 100.[116] "You Da One" and the album's title track, featuring Jay-Z, were released as the second and third singles, to moderate success. "Where Have You Been", the fifth single, successfully charted worldwide, reaching number five in the US and number six in the UK.[117][118] "Cockiness (Love It)" was released as the album's sixth and final single in a remixed form featuring rapper ASAP Rocky.[119]

Rihanna's seventh studio album, Unapologetic, was released in November 2012.[132] In the United States, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart with first-week sales of 238,000 copies, marking Rihanna's first number-one album in the country.[133] The album was Rihanna's third consecutive number-one album in the United Kingdom and fifth in Switzerland.[134][135] The lead single from the album, "Diamonds", reached number one in more than twenty countries worldwide, including on the US' Billboard Hot 100, where it became Rihanna's twelfth number one on the chart.[136] The album's second single, "Stay", featuring Mikky Ekko, reached the top five in over twenty countries, including number three on the Billboard Hot 100.[137] As promotion prior to the album's release, Rihanna embarked on the 777 Tour, a mini tour of seven shows in seven countries in seven days.[138] On 6 May 2013, Fox aired a documentary about the tour, with a documentary DVD being released the following day as Rihanna's third live long-form video release.[139]

In October 2013, Eminem released his Rihanna-assisted single, "The Monster", as the fourth release from his eighth studio album The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013). With the song entering the UK Singles Chart at number one, Rihanna joined Elvis Presley and The Beatles as just one of three acts to have scored a number-one single each year over seven consecutive years in the chart's history.[144] The song also peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, which marked Rihanna's thirteenth chart topper, tying her at the time with Michael Jackson for the fourth most number ones in the chart's history.[145] Rihanna then appeared on Shakira's single, "Can't Remember to Forget You", which was released in January 2014.[146] Following the release of Unapologetic and its accompanying tour, Rihanna aimed to take a hiatus from recording music, stating: "I wanted to have a year to just do whatever I want artistically, creatively."[147]
In January 2014, Rihanna began working on her eighth studio album.[148][149] In May 2014, Rihanna left Def Jam Recordings to sign fully with Roc Nation, the record label that had managed her career since October 2010.[150]

In August 2018, it had been reported that Rihanna had been filming a secret project in Cuba titled Guava Island throughout that summer alongside Donald Glover. The exact details of the project are currently unknown.[183]

Artistry

Music and voice

Rihanna is a mezzo-soprano, with a range spanning from B2 to C#6.[184][185][186][187][188] While recording tracks for her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), Rihanna took vocal lessons from Ne-Yo. Speaking of the experience she stated, "I've never had vocal training, so when I'm in the studio, he'll tell me how to breathe and stuff... He'll call out these big fancy words: 'OK, I want you to do staccato.' And I'm like, 'OK, I don't know what that is.'"[55] Her vocal performance on Loud (2010) received positive reviews from music critics. James Skinner from BBC praised Rihanna's vocals on the song "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)" and wrote that her voice is powerful and that "it is Rihanna's vocal - at once commanding, soulful and vulnerable - that anchors the song, and Loud itself".[189] Andy Gill from The Independent feels that "California King Bed" features her best vocal performance.[190] In a review of Unapologetic, Billboard magazine wrote, "Diamonds finds Rihanna doing one of her throatiest, most impassioned vocals to date, on this inspirational pop ballad."[191] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times stated, "over the years, as her game face froze in place, her voice cured into a weapon of emotional chill and strategic indifference. It's decidedly unfriendly, made to give orders".[192]

"[My music is] just imagination, being creative; that's what my music is composed with. Being creative and thinking of situations, whether situations I went through or situations I've observed people going through. I can't tell you where I'll see myself in five years, but I can tell you I will work my best to be the most successful artist that I can be in five years. [I want to be] Remembered as Rihanna. Remembered as being the artist from the Caribbean who came here and made it internationally. Just remembered as me, 'cause I'm true to my music, and I just want people to realize that and appreciate me for that"

Growing up in Barbados, she wasn't exposed to a lot of music, mainly reggae, hip-hop, and soca music.[194] When she moved to the United States, she became exposed to a lot of American music "rock being one of them, and I fell in love with it. [Now] I love rock music."[194] At the time of her debut, she recorded songs that were inspired by her Caribbean roots and described her early sound as "a fusion of reggae, hip-hop and R&B, with a little something different thrown in".[34][195] Her early dancehall roots can be found on her debut album, Music of the Sun (2005), and its follow-up, A Girl like Me (2006).[196]Music of the Sun demonstrates the influence of Rihanna's musical heritage of the Caribbean. Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times complimented its combination of dancehall and reggae, who said, "Dancehall reggae sometimes seems like a furiously insular form of music, but ... Rihanna is only the latest singer to discover how versatile the genre's spring-loaded electronic rhythms can be".[197] Her debut single, "Pon de Replay" features a dancehall-pop mixture that infuses a reggae style, while "If It's Lovin' that You Want" talks about a girl seducing a guy to be her boyfriend.[198] Aiming for artistic growth, A Girl like Me expresses personal experiences that typical 18-year-old girls go through with ballads that were described as elegant and mature.[199] After her second album, she slowly dismissed her dancehall and reggae roots.

Rihanna's music has incorporated a wide range of genres including, pop,[200]R&B, reggae, dubstep, hip hop and EDM. With its provocative subject matter and lyrics,[195] her musical career has been an experiment with new musical ideas and stated that she wants "to make music that could be heard in parts of the world that I'd never been to".[201] During a review for Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), Slant Magazine to write that Rihanna "finally figured out that she's a dance artist and the majority of the album is comprised of uptempo dance-pop [songs like]" "Push Up on Me" and "Don't Stop the Music".[202] It represents a departure from the Caribbean sound of her previous albums, and is described as a turning point in her career.[203][204] While the first half of the record shares a lot of 1980s pop influences with songs like "Don't Stop the Music" and "Shut Up and Drive", the second half retreats into standard R&B.[205][206]

Recorded after the assault by her then-boyfriend, Chris Brown, Rated R (2009) had a much darker tone and was filled with various emotions she experienced throughout 2009.[207] In Loud (2010), Rihanna reflects on the fun and energetic vibe she had while recording the album.[208] The album is a mixture of ballads, party anthems, and empowering love songs.[209]Talk That Talk (2011) was similar to Rated R, as both contain hip hop, R&B, dancehall, and dubstep genres.[210]Loud and Talk That Talk saw her explore sexuality in her work ("S&M" and "Birthday Cake") and return to her dancehall roots ("Man Down" and "Watch n' Learn").[211] She also branched out into house music with tracks like "We Found Love", "Only Girl (In the World)" and "Complicated."[212] Her songs are also inspired through record sampling from other artists.[213]

Influences

Rihanna has named Madonna as her idol and biggest influence. She said that she wanted to be the "black Madonna" and praised the singer for being able to constantly reinvent herself successfully throughout her career.[214][215] "I think that Madonna was a great inspiration for me, especially on my earlier work. If I had to examine her evolution through time, I think she reinvented her clothing style and music with success every single time. And at the same time remained a real force in entertainment in the whole world."[214]
Another major influence on Rihanna's music and career has been Mariah Carey, whose song "Hero" she performed when Rihanna was still a teenager at her high school talent show.[216] She revealed that Carey's song "Vision of Love" "was the song that made [her] want to do music."[217][218]

She grew up watching videos of reggae legend Bob Marley on television because that's what they would play in the Caribbean.[219] She stated, "He's one of my favourite artists of all time - he really paved the way for every other artist out of the Caribbean".[220] She built a shrine in her home dedicated to the reggae legend and has covered Marley's "Is This Love" and Bob Marley & The Wailers' "Redemption Song" during her concert tours.[221][222]
During her childhood, she would go around singing Whitney Houston songs and "A Whole New World" into her hairbrush so much that her neighbors started calling her "Robyn Redbreast".[223] She also stated that one of the first songs she remembers falling in love with was Houston's version of "I Will Always Love You" and that it "was really inspiring, and it made me develop a passion for music, so really, she's partly responsible for me being here in this industry."[224][225]

Videos and stage

Rihanna has worked with music video director Anthony Mandler on more than a dozen music videos, the first being "Unfaithful" (2006).[239] "We've done 16 videos together; they're not all tough, [...] Yeah, I mean, I'm known for the 'Disturbia's and the 'Russian Roulette's and things like that, but 'Only Girl (In the World)' is certainly an ethereal kind of empowering, beauty-filled video," Mandler said.[239] Jocelyn Vena of MTV wrote, "Rihanna, like Madonna, also has a tendency to make truly thought-provoking music videos that fit the songs they represent. Smattered in between glitzier, more glamorous clips, Madge and Ri want us to think about bigger issues".[212] Jon Bream of the Star Tribune commented "[i]n the tradition of Madonna and Janet Jackson, Rihanna has become the video vixen of the '00s ... Rihanna has perfected the pout, the long-legged strut and trend-setting hairdos that keep women and men alike checking her out on YouTube."[240] George Epaminondas of InStyle considers Rihanna's music videos to be "cinematic" due to her "blend of lush island rhythms and swinging pop and ... mischievous sensuality."[241] Tamar Anitai from MTV Buzzworthy listed "Disturbia" at number five on the "Buzzworthy's Top 5 Most Paranoid Music Videos" and said that "Paranoia never looked so supernaturally sexy!".[242]

Rihanna performing at the Kollen Music Festival, June 2012

Many of her music videos were shot as short films exploring issues such as love triangles, abuse, and substance abuse romance, including "We Found Love" and "Man Down".[212] Her music video for "Umbrella" shows Rihanna's transition into adulthood and her newly adopted image.[243] The "dark, creepy" scenes of "Disturbia" have been compared to Michael Jackson's Thriller.[240][244] The video for "Russian Roulette" features Rihanna in a padded room playing a game of russian roulette with her partner. A scene of Rihanna being approached by a speeding car at night was compared to the altercation with Chris Brown.[245] The Caribbean-inspired music video for "Rude Boy" was compared to rapper MIA's video "Boyz" by many critics for its colorful aesthetic similarities.[238] In 2011, she released three controversial music videos about sadomasochism, rape, and domestic violence.[246] "Man Down", which features Rihanna shooting a man in a train station, was criticized by the Parents Television Council.[247] "We Found Love", which shows Rihanna and her love interest in a drug-filled unhealthy relationship,[245] sparked criticism from the Rape Crisis Centre for its inappropriate message.[248] But Charne Graham of the Houston Press defended the singer, asking, "Why should Rihanna's music videos get everyone riled up when others' equally sexual and controversial videos are in rotation? [...] she just like[s] to make music videos that give us something to talk about."[246] She is the first woman to pass two billion cumulative views on the music video website VEVO.[249] As of December 2016, she has accumulated over 10 billion views on the site. Her VEVO YouTube channel is currently the fifth most subscribed channel on YouTube.

Denis Armstrong of Canadian Online Explorer commented on her performance at the Ottawa Bluesfest, saying "her show was a Disney-esque choreographed fantasy of non-stop hip-swiveling, sassy attitude and personal endearments and a string of funky, sugar-free hits."[250] Her performance of "Disturbia" at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards was ranked tenth best on the MTV Video Music Awards, according to a Billboard poll.[251] Her revealing leather costumes during her Good Girl Gone Bad Tour were highly criticized by Malaysia's conservative Islamic party, who recommended that her concert tour should be banned.[252] Whilst commenting on her third album's accompanying tour, The Times compared Rihanna's stage wardrobe styling to that of Janet Jackson and called her "a vision of Ann Summers couture in thigh-high boots and a few scraps of black PVC."[253] In the October 2011 issue of British Vogue, Rihanna said her performance outfits and appearances are all an act; "[t]hat's not me. That's a part I play. You know, like it's a piece of art, with all these toys and textures to play with".[254]

Public image

Known for reinventing her style and image, Rihanna's music and fashion sense are noted by the media.[255] In 2009, New York magazine described Rihanna's early look as that of "a cookie-cutter teen queen", noting she has the ability "to shift looks dramatically and with such ease".[256] Around the time of the release of her second studio album, A Girl like Me (2006), many critics felt that Rihanna's style, sound, and musical material were too similar to those of Beyoncé.[257][258] In an interview with Look magazine, Rihanna spoke about comparisons to Beyonce: "Beyoncé is a great artist and I feel honored to be mentioned in the same sentence, but we're different performers with different styles".[259] She revealed during Oprah's Next Chapter that Def Jam's pop-princess blueprint made her feel claustrophobic during her early years with the label.[260] According to Rihanna, "I felt like they were giving me a blueprint. [...] They had a brand, they had an idea of what they wanted me to be without figuring out who I was."[261] With the release of her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), Rihanna dismissed her innocent image for an edgier look with a new hairstyle, which was inspired by Charlize Theron's bob cut in the science fiction thriller Æon Flux (2005).[262] She followed the likes of recording artists Janet Jackson and Christina Aguilera who also shed their innocent image for an edgier look and sound.[263]

Rihanna on the cover of MyBand Magazine, June 2008

Nico Amarca of Highsnobiety magazine wrote "over the course of her now 10-year career, [Rihanna] has undergone one of the most significant aesthetic metamorphoses the world has ever seen".[264] Her image and fashion has changed several times with different hairstyles since the release of her third album.[265][266] She commented that as a child she "used to watch her [mother] get dressed" and that her love and admiration for fashion started with her mom.[267] When putting together her own wardrobe she stated, "It's become more about taking a risk ... I always look for the most interesting silhouette or something that's a little off."[268] Jess Cartner-Morley of The Guardian wrote that "Rihanna's wardrobe is the most talked-about, influential and dissected in pop right now" and that whatever she wears "is immediately reproduced on the high street, because it sells".[269] Country singer Miranda Lambert admires Rihanna's fashion and style stating, "I don't necessarily get inspired by the whole no-bra thing, but I love that you never know what she's going to wear. It always keeps you guessing, which makes her sassy and interesting."[270]

In an interview with Alexa Chung during Vogue Festival 2015, Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing praised Rihanna by stylistically comparing her to some of the biggest fashion icons in music history, such as Madonna, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, and Prince.[271] Commenting on the cultural expectation for pop stars to be role models, she said "[being a role model] became more of my job than I wanted it to be. But no, I just want to make music. That's it".[254] In a May 2013 interview with MTV, The Vagina Monologues writer and feminist Eve Ensler praised the singer, saying, "I'm a huge Rihanna fan, I think she has a kind of agency over her sexuality and she's open about her sexuality, she has enormous grace and she's immensely talented."[272][273]

Described as one of the sexiest women of her generation,[274][275] she revealed that being a sex symbol is not a priority and that "it's definitely flattering, but also uncomfortable."[276] Her appearance has landed her on the cover of magazines such as Maxim, FHM, Rolling Stone[277] and in December 2012, Rihanna became the first woman to be featured on the cover of GQ magazine's "Men of the Year" issue.[277]

Rihanna is well known for having a wide collection of small tattoos around her body.[278][279] Some of them refer to Egyptian antiquity, a subject of a particular interest of the singer.[280]

Rihanna Voice has become an industry-wide idea, a creative property like the Korg synth or LinnDrum [...] We crave the thrill that you can only get when a dozen or so good ideas manifest themselves in a single voice. For the past 10 years, that voice has more or less been Rihanna's. Now that she's gleefully shredding it apart, she'll probably generate a whole new comet trail of Rihannabes. Inevitably, none of them will carry the charge, the glassy cool and subterranean heat, of the real thing.[289]

Rihanna performing in Germany, June 2013

Time magazine included Rihanna on its 100 Most Influential People in the World issue in 2012 and 2018. Stella McCartney writes "She's one of the coolest, hottest, most talented, most liked, most listened to, most followed, most impressive artists at work today, but she does it in her own stride. She works hard, very hard. She gives to her fans, friends and foundation not just herself but her energy and spirit."[290] On 2 June 2014, Rihanna was presented with Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), a special prize reserved for "an individual whose style has made a significant impact on popular culture on an international stage".[291] In August 2018, Billboard ranked Rihanna as the tenth biggest Hot 100 artist of all time, as well as the fifth biggest female act of all time.[292][293]Billboard also ranked Rihanna the top Hot 100 artist of the 2010s decade.[11] In 2014, Time magazine's pop stardom ranking metric ranked Rihanna second in history, based on all-time chart performance and contemporary significance.[294]

Rihanna has an honorary title of Ambassador for Culture and Youth in Barbados.[316] On 22 February 2008, former Barbados Prime Minister, David Thompson, launched the national "Rihanna Day" in their country. Although it is not a bank holiday, Barbadians celebrate it every year in honor of Rihanna.[317][318][319][320] In February 2017, Rihanna was named Harvard University's "Humanitarian of the Year" by the Harvard Foundation.[17]
During Rihanna's third annual "Diamond Ball", the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, praised Rihanna's work stating: "You've become a powerful force in the fight to give people dignity."[321] Additionally on 30 November 2017, Westbury New Road in St. Michael, Barbados, the road where Rihanna was raised, was renamed "Rihanna Drive" to honor Rihanna's success in the music industry.[322]

Rihanna has accumulated fourteen number-one singles on the US BillboardHot 100 chart for the third most number ones in the chart's history.[333] She has been named the top Mainstream Top 40 chart artist of the past twenty years by Billboard; she ranks first with most entries (36), most top tens (23), and most number ones (10).[334] As of March 2014, Rihanna has sold over 18 million singles and six million albums in the United Kingdom.[335][336] She is the tenth best-selling[337] and the second best-selling female singles artist in the country, only behind Madonna[338] and is second only to The Beatles for the most million-selling singles in the UK of all time.[339] Her collaboration with Eminem, "Love the Way You Lie", together with "Umbrella", "Disturbia", "Only Girl (In the World)", "We Found Love", and "Diamonds", are some of the best-selling singles of all time worldwide. Rihanna has seven number-one singles on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,[340] and Airplay chart,[341] as well as sixteen number-one singles on the Rhythmic chart.[342]

Other ventures

Rihanna has ventured into other businesses and industries. In October 2005, Rihanna struck an endorsement deal with Secret Body Spray.[343] In 2010, Rihanna featured in the Optus commercial, in conjunction with Optus supporting Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour.[344] The same year Rihanna also featured in the Kodak commercial along with rapper Pitbull.[345]
In October 2010, the singer released an eponymous book.[346] The book, featured photos from Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour and served as an accompaniment to her fourth studio album Rated R (2009).
In 2011, Nivea celebrated its "100 Years of Skincare" festivities which featured several performances from Rihanna.[347] Rihanna also became the face of Vita Coco in 2011.[348]
In 2013, the singer collaborated with MAC Cosmetics and released her own summer, fall and holiday lines of makeup called "RiRi hearts MAC".[349] In July 2013, lager production company Budweiser announced that Rihanna had become a part of their global "Made For Music" campaign, also co-starring Jay-Z.[350]

Business endeavours

Rihanna's first fragrance, "Reb'l Fleur", was released in January 2011.[351] The product became highly successful, according to Rolling Stone, Reb'l Fleur was a financial success and was expected to gross US$80 million at retail by the end of 2011.[352]
Rihanna's second fragrance, "Rebelle", was released in February 2012.[353] The promotional campaign for Rebelle, was shot by director, Anthony Mandler, who also shot the promotional campaign for Reb'l Fleur.[354]
In November 2012, Rihanna released her third fragrance, "Nude".[355]
Rihanna's fourth women's fragrance, titled Rogue was released on 14 September 2013, followed by a male version entitled "Rogue Men" which was released in 2014.[356][357]

On 30 March 2015, it was announced that Rihanna is a co-owner, with various other music artists, in the music streaming service Tidal. The service specialises in lossless audio and high definition music videos. Jay-Z acquired the parent company of Tidal, Aspiro, in the first quarter of 2015.[358] Including Beyoncé and Jay-Z, sixteen artist stakeholders (such as Kanye West, Beyoncé, Madonna, Chris Martin, Nicki Minaj and more) co-own Tidal, with the majority owning a 3% equity stake.[359] "The challenge is to get everyone to respect music again, to recognize its value", stated Jay-Z on the release of Tidal.[360]
In 2016, it was revealed that Rihanna would be releasing her music through her own label Westbury Road Entertainment,[361] which was established in 2005.[362]
Westbury Road is the name of the area Rihanna grew up in back in Barbados. The music would be distributed through Universal Music Group.[363][364] Westbury Road Entertainment's artist roster includes Melissa Forde as the label's photographer,[365] and KazeLoon.[366]

Rihanna was inspired to create Fenty Beauty after years of experimenting with the best-of-the-best in beauty--and still seeing a void in the industry for products that performed across all skin types and tones. She launched a makeup line "so that women everywhere would be included," focusing on a wide range of traditionally hard-to-match skin tones, creating formulas that work for all skin types, and pinpointing universal shades.

In November 2015, Rihanna and Benoit Demouy launched a beauty and stylist agency named Fr8me. The business based in Los Angeles was set up in order to assist artists in booking commercials, editorial shoots, ad campaigns, and red-carpet appearances. Rihanna stated, "Hair, makeup, and styling play an important role in creativity, I am very involved with that part of my process, so this agency was an organic thing for me to do." The roster includes Rihanna's makeup artist Mylah Morales, wardrobe stylist Jason Bolden, hairstylist Patricia Morales, and Marcia Hamilton.[368] In addition to Fr8me, Rihanna opened a photo agency called "A Dog Ate My Homework", which represents photographers Erik Asla and Deborah Anderson.[368]

In 2017, Rihanna launched cosmetic company Fenty Beauty under LVMH's Kendo Brands. The partnership was worth $10 million and would see Rihanna release various beauty products.[369] The first installment of Fenty Beauty was released on 8 September 2017 in stores and online, available in over 150 countries.[370] It included an array of products including foundations, highlighters, bronzers, blush compacts, lip glosses, and blotting sheets and was praised for its diverse range for all skin colours.[371]Time magazine named Fenty Beauty as one "The 25 Best Inventions of 2017", citing the breadth of its range.[372]

Fashion

Early in her career, Rihanna made clear her interest in fashion and desire to work in the clothing design industry. In November 2011, Rihanna announced her first fashion venture with Armani.[374] In February 2013, Rihanna presented her first women's spring fashion collection at London Fashion Week for British street fashion brand River Island, collaborating with her personal stylist Adam Selman.[375] They published two more collections for the brand, a summer edition released on 25 May 2013 and an autumn edition released on 10 September 2013.[376] The fourth and last collection for River Island, the winter edition was released on 7 November 2013.[377] Rihanna went on to collaborate with numerous fashion house's including Dior, Stance and Manolo Blahnik.[378][379][380] In March 2015, it was announced that Rihanna had been chosen as the new face of Dior; this makes her the first black woman to be the face of Dior.[381]

In December 2014, it was confirmed that Rihanna would become the creative director of the fashion sportswear Puma, overseeing the brand's women's line which will include collaborations in apparel and footwear.[382] In the fall of 2015, Rihanna released her first trainer with Puma, and the sneaker sold out online with three hours of its pre-sale launch.[383] Over the next two years, Rihanna released various other footwear in different colorways and styles, which were all met positively by both critics and buyers.[384][385] 2016 saw Rihanna debut her first clothing line in collaboration with Puma at New York Fashion Week; the collection was met with rave reviews from fashion critics.[386] In the spring of that year, Rihanna debuted her second collection at Paris Fashion Week and was met with critical acclaim. Vogue magazine praised the collection and Rihanna, stating "Sometimes when a famous person tries his or her hand at another discipline, the results can be uneven. And yet there are those special cases when making the switch leads to a good surprise. Judging by the collection she showed today, we can add Rihanna to that list."[387]
In Autumn 2017, Rihanna x Puma returned to New York, for the debut of their autumn collection, like previous lines the collection was met with positive reviews. Vogue Magazine stated "Fenty x Puma has kept one step ahead, so to speak, thanks in part to shoe designs that think outside the box--Rihanna is the first woman to have won Footwear News's coveted Shoe of the Year award, after all."[388]

Philanthropy

In 2006, she created her Believe Foundation to help terminally ill children.[393][394]
In 2007, Rihanna was named as one of the Cartier Love Charity Bracelet Ambassadors, with each celebrity representing a different global charity.[395] To help raise awareness and combat HIV/AIDS, Rihanna and other public figures designed clothing for the February 2008 H&M Fashion Against AIDS line.[396][397] In 2008, Rihanna performed a series of charity concerts entitled A Girl's Night Out[398] to benefit the Believe Foundation. The concerts were made free for the public. Money from sponsors and advertisers were to be donated to provide medical supplies, school supplies and toys to children in need.[399][400][401] In September 2008, Rihanna contributed to the song "Just Stand Up!" with fifteen other female artists, who shared the stage to perform the song live on 5 September 2008, during the "Stand Up to Cancer" television special. The proceeds from the single were given to the fundraiser.[402] The television special helped raise $100 million for cancer research.[403]

Rihanna founded the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) in 2012, in honor of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. Current programs include the Clara Braithwaite Center for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados, and education programs.[404][405]
The CLF hosts an annual Diamond Ball charity fundraiser event. The inaugural event in 2014 raised over $2 million, and the second raised over $3 million.[406][407] On 12 February 2012, Rihanna performed a benefit show at the House of Blues to raise money for the Children's Orthopaedic Center and the Mark Taper-Johnny Mercer Artists Program at Children's Hospital.[408] In November 2012, Rihanna gave $100,000 to food bank donation for Hurricane Sandy,[409] On 3 January 2014 Rihanna was part of the MAC Viva Glam campaign, which benefits women, men, and children living with HIV/AIDS.[410]

Diplomacy

On 21 September 2018, Rihanna was appointed by the government of Barbados to be an Ambassador at-Large, with special duties of promoting "education, tourism and investment for the island."[411][412]

Personal life

On 8 February 2009, Rihanna's scheduled performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards was canceled.[75] Reports surfaced that then-boyfriend, singer Chris Brown had physically assaulted her. He was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats.[76] On 5 March 2009, Brown was charged with assault and making criminal threats.[77] Due to a leaked photograph from the police department obtained by TMZ.com--which revealed that Rihanna had sustained visible injuries--an organization known as STOParazzi proposed "Rihanna's Law", which, if enacted, would "deter employees of law enforcement agencies from releasing photos or information that exploits crime victims."[78] Gil Kaufman of VH1 reported the "nonstop coverage of the Rihanna/Brown case has brought up a number of issues regarding the privacy of alleged victims of domestic violence, including the decision by almost all major news outlets to divulge the identity of the victim--which is not typically done in domestic-violence cases" and discussed the controversial distribution of the leaked photograph.[413] Rihanna was subpoenaed to testify during a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles on 22 June 2009.[414] On 22 June 2009, Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault. Brown received five years of probation and was ordered to stay fifty yards (46 meters) away from Rihanna, unless at public events, which then would be reduced to ten yards (nine meters).[415] In February 2011, at the request of Brown's lawyer and with Rihanna's consent, Judge Patricia Schnegg modified the restraining order to a "level one order", which allows the singers to appear at awards shows together in the future.[416][417]

From December 2009 to 2010, Rihanna dated Dodgers baseball player Matt Kemp.[418] Rihanna has also dated Canadian rapper Drake.[419] In a January 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, Rihanna confirmed that she had rekindled her relationship with Chris Brown,[420] though he remained under probation for the 2009 domestic violence incident.[421] The confirmation followed persistent media speculation throughout 2012 regarding the pair's reunion.[422][423] In a May 2013 interview, Brown stated that he and Rihanna had broken up again.[424] In 2015, Rihanna briefly dated Travis Scott, a rapper from Missouri City, Texas.[425] Rihanna has been in a relationship with SaudiToyota heir Hassan Jameel since December 2016.[426] She confirmed the relationship in Vogues June 2018 issue.[427][428]

Rihanna has stated that she believes in God and that she focuses on obeying God and reading her Bible. She is a fan of Protestantcharismatic minister Joyce Meyer.[429][430] In 2015, Rihanna told Harper's Bazaar that her faith in God has helped her throughout her career.[431] During her performance at the NCAA March Madness Music Festival, Rihanna expressed her disagreement with Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act that allows companies and individuals to use their religious beliefs as protection, in case of being accused of discrimination against LGBT people.[432] Rihanna along with numerous other high-profile celebrities featured in an online video titled "23 Ways You Could Be Killed If You Are Black in America". The video was released in partnership with the We Are Here Movement and called for action against police brutality.[433] In January 2017, Rihanna participated in the 2017 Women's March, which took place in New York and protests the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration.[434]
Following the announcement of Trump's Executive Order 13769 banning citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States, Rihanna expressed disgust for the order and condemned the US President's act.[434]

According to the New York Post, Rihanna filed a lawsuit against Peter Gunis and the firm Berdon LLP for $35 million in 2012 but settled out of court for more than $10 million in 2014.[435][436]Forbes began reporting on Rihanna's earnings in 2012, calculating that she earned $53 million between May 2011 and May 2012, for her music, tour, and endorsements.[437] In 2013, Rihanna came in at number 13 on the list with a total earning of $43 million due to endorsements such as vita coco.[438][439][440] In 2015 Rihanna earned $26 million, which resulted in her net worth rising to $160 million by 2016.[441] In July 2016, Forbes magazine placed Rihanna at number 13 on their list of highest paid celebrities, earning $75 million between 2015 and 2016.[442] Rihanna currently lives in Manhattan, New York City and owns a penthouse there that is worth $14 million.[443]

In March 2018, Rihanna posted a statement on Twitter shaming Snapchat for mocking her domestic violence situation. The ad put out by Snapchat asked if users would rather "slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown" in a "Would You Rather" format.[444] Snapchat issued an apology statement.[445]